Cleaning attachment



Jan. 8, 1963 I. JEPSON ETAL CLEANING ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 11, 1960 INVENTORS:

I. JEPSON ETAL Jan. 8, 1963 CLEANING ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jul 11, 1960 Jan. 8, 1963 l. JEPSON ETAL CLEANING ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed. July 11, 1960 Jan. 8, 1963 I. JEPSON ETAL CLEANING ATTACHMENT Filed July 11, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 I I W wtzzam MEM ilnited States Patent 3,371,799 Patented Jan. 8, 1968 nois Filed July 11, 1960, Ser. No. 42,930 10 Claims. (Cl. 15354) The present invention relates to a cleaning attachment for a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to what has come to be referred to as a turbine brush attachment.

Vacuum cleaners used particularly in homes are of two general types. One of these types commonly referred to as an upright cleaner comprises a housing having mounted therein a motor driven fan and also a rotatable brush driven by the motor. The housing itself terminates in a suction nozzle wherein the brush is usually mounted. The other type of cleaner commonly referred to as a tank or canister type cleaner gets its name from its construction. It generally comprises a tank or similarly shaped unit containing a motor driven fan for producing the necessary suction. Connected to this unit through a flexible hose are the various cleaning attachments.

The present invention is concerned with a cleaning tool primarily directed to cleaning rugs and floors. It is generally agreed that the best cleaning job on rugs is performed by cleaners having a power driven brush whereby the cleaning action of the brush and the suction produced by the vacuum cleaner together produce the highly satisfactory cleaning operation. It is also generally agreed that the tank or canister type cleaner is the most satisfactory for all cleaning operations except the cleaning of rugs, it being less satisfactory than the upright cleaner for rug cleaning only because of its lack of a power driven brush. It is, therefore, desirable that an attachment be deviced for use with a tank or canister type cleaner which includes a power driven brush. Numerous devices have been suggested along this line. Among them has been an attachment having its own self-contained electric motor. The difliculty with such an arrangement is with respect to supplying electric energy to the motor in the attachment, necessitating either a separate power cord to the attachment or some sort of electrical connection from the attachment to the tank or canister type cleaner. It has also been suggested to utilize the air flow produced by the tank or canister type cleaner to operate a sort of air turbine drivingly connected to a rotatable brush. The present invention is particularly concerned with this latter type of device. The turbine brush attachments which have been available prior to the present invention have not been satisfactory in numerous respects.

It will be appreciated that cleaning attachments for vacuum cleaners will be required to pick up numerous solid objects such as bobby pins, coins and other relatively heavy metal objects. Where the cleaning attachment is merely a nozzle of some sort with no movable parts, no problem arises. However, in the case of a turbine brush type cleaning attachment, it will be appreciated that, to be satisfactory, this attachment must be capable of picking up solid metal objects such as coins Without damaging or jamming the air turbine driving the brush. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a turbine brush which will satisfactorily pick up such solid objects without damage thereto or jamming.

In addition to being able to handle such solid objects satisfactorily and without damage thereto, a turbine brush attachment must be built economically so that it can be sold to the trade at a reasonable price. Another difliculty with prior art turbine brushes has been the fact that the air flow for driving the turbine was not sufiicient to give the necessary power for a satisfactorybrushing action.

Hence, such a turbine brush should be designed so that it may operate satisfactorily with a minimum air flow, even though manufacturers of vacuum cleaners are now beginning to produce cleaners having a relatively high air flow. Preferably also, such an attachment should have a. simple control for terminating operation of the turbine rush without terminating the suction applied to the attachment. Furthermore, such an attachment should also have a simple height adjustment for use with a wide variety of rugs. Obviously, the cleaning problem on a deep pile rug is not the same as with rugs having a very short pile.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved cleaning attachment having the above-mentioned desirable features.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved air operated cleaning attachment particularly adapted for tank or canister type vacuum cleaners which is of sturdy construction, economical to manufacture, and which will give long years of foolproof service.

Still another object of the present invention resides in a cleaning attachment employing a power driven brush having an improved air turbine which will not be damaged or jammed by solid objects passing therethrough during a cleaning operation.

it is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved power driven cleaning attachment with improved means for effectively stopping the brush without terminating the suction from the associated vacuum cleaner.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved air turbine brush with simple means for varying the operation thereof in dependence upon the type of rug being cleaned.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reiergnee may be had to the accompanying drawings in w.1c

embodying the present invention with the swivel in the position of maximum air flow through the cleaning attachment;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of PEG. 1;

PEG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3'3 of FIG. 1;

P16. 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the rug cleaning attachment of FIG. 1 with certain portions thereof cut away more clearly to illustrate certain features thereof;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3, assuming that FIG. 3 shows the complete structure but with the swivel shown in the position for terminating brush operation without cutting off the suction;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5, also assuming that FIG. 5 shows the complete structure;

PEG. 7his an enlarged sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 3, again assuming that FIG. 3 shows the complete structure;

FIG. 8 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-8 of FIG. 5; v

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 8, and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 1llti of FIG. 4.

Briefly, the present invention is concerned with a cleaning attachment comprising a housing unit defining a nozzle with a rotatable brush mounted therein, and a turbine chamber through which air passes, containing an air turbine rotatably driven by the air passing through the turbine chamber. The turbine is drivingly connected by suitable means with the brush mounted in the nozzle chamber. A swivel type connection to the housing permits connection with a source of air suction, and this swivel connection is designed so that upon pivotal movement thereof the suction may be varied sufliciently to terminate operation of the brush, even though the cleaner connected to the attachment continues to operate.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a cleaning attachment or rug cleaning tool, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, which will be referred to hereinafter as a turbine brush. Cleaning attachment comprises a base 11, preferably formed as an integral casting, having a forward somewhat elongated nozzle portion 12 and a rearwardly extending somewhat elongated bowl-shaped portion 13 defining therein a brush drive chamber 14, best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The longitudinal axes of portions 12 and 13 are generally perpendicularly disposed. The nozzle portion 12 of the base 11 is essentially an elongated housing open at the bottom to define a nozzle chamber 16 therein. The bottom opening of the nozzle chamber, as is well understood by those well skilled in the art, is intended to be in engagement with a surface to be cleaned, such as a rug, so that the suction produced by an associated vacuum cleaner can be applied to the nozzle chamber 16 with the result that dirt contained in the surface being cleaned will enter the bottom opening of the nozzle portion 12. As illustrated in the drawings, the nozzle chamber at the junction with the brush drive chamber is defined by a curved will 18 (FIGS. 3 and 4). This curved or arcuate wall is provided with a slit or opening 19 defined from the top to the bottom thereof through which a driving connection may be made between driving means disposed in the brush drive chamber 14 and a rotatable brush disposed in the nozzle chamber 16. As best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the wall 18 is substantially thicker at the bottom than at the top thereof, thereby defining a sort of curved surface in the nozzle chamber.

For the purpose of supporting the cleaning attachment 10 from a surface to be cleaned, there are provided two pairs of wheels, a forward pair generally designated at 21 and a rear pair generally designated at 22, both of which are disposed to the rear of the nozzle portion 12. Preferably, the wheels or rollers 21 and 22 are of molded plastic material. As best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the front wheels or rollers 21 are each rotatably mounted on a rivet 23 suitably secured one to either side of portion 13 of the base 11 defining the brush drive chamber 14. The rollers 22 are preferably supported for rotation about a shaft 25 suitably mounted to the rear of the base 11 in a manner described in detail hereinafter.

The wheels or rollers 21 are spaced farther apart than the wheels or rollers 22. As illustrated in the drawings, the portion 13 of base 11 includes a relatively narrow depending portion 13a (FIGS. 2, 4 and 7) and the wheels 22 are spaced by the width of this narrow portion while the wheels 21 are spaced by the width of the wider portion 13. In order to provide ready access to the brush drive chamber to replace a driving element or the like, the bottom of the portion of the base 11 defining the brush drive chamber 14, and specifically the narrow portion 13a, is provided with an opening 26 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which is preferably closed by a suitable closure member 27. As illustrated, the closure member 27 is bifurcated at one end as indicated at 27a to receive between the bifurcations thereof the edge of the wall defining the opening 26. The other end of the closure member 27 is supported by a single fastening member such as the screw 29. With this arrangement it will be appreciated that the single screw 29 at one end of the closure member 27 holds it securely in position.

So that the cleaning attachment 10 will not mar furniture or walls of the room where it is used, the nozzle portion 12 preferably is provided with a projecting flange 12a disposed slightly above the bottom opening defined therein, which flange surrounds the entire periphery of the nozzle portion 12 except the rear thereof where the portion 13 which defines the brush chamber 14 is integrally secured thereto. A suitable resilient bumper 30 of U- shaped cross section, as best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 10, is provided, which encloses the flange 12a and has the ends thereof adjacent the point where the nozzle portion 12 joins the portion 13 secured thereto by suitable rivets or other means (not shown).

To produce a brushing action with respect to the surface being cleaned, there is provided within the nozzle chamber 16 a rotatable brush generally designated by the reference numeral 32. As best shown in the drawings, the brush 32 comprises a central cylindrical supporting member 32a to which are secured tufts of bristles designated at 33, preferably in a spiral arrangement as best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. A toothed pulley member 34 is secured to the support 3211 at an intermediate point therealong. As best shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, this pulley member is not disposed at the center of the support 32a but actually to one side of the center thereof and directly in line with the notch 19 in the wall 18. For the purpose of rotatably mounting the brush 32, the ends of member 32a are each provided with a projecting pin 36. In a device built in accordance with the present invention, the brush support 32a was formed of wood, and the pins 36 were metal pins driven into the ends thereof on the longitudinal axis of support 32a. As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 10 of the drawings, the ends of the support 32a surrounding the pins 36 are recessed slightly as indicated at 38.

In order rotatably to support the brush 32, there are provided a pair of bearing members or blocks 40 which are preferably molded nylon blocks each having a bearing recess 41 defined therein for rotatably supporting the associated pin 36 therein. To provide the desired resilience, these blocks may be molded with additional recesses 42 (FIGS. 2 and 10) surrounding bearing defining recess 41 but opening on the side of bearing block 40 opposite that on which recess 41 opens. The blocks 40 further include a circular projection 40a surrounding the entrance to recess 41, which projection extends into the recess 38 defined in the end of the support 32a. In order to prevent hair, string, thread, fiber and the like from entering the bearing for brush 32, there is provided for each end of this rotatable brush a brush shield 43 which is illustrated as a shallow dishlike member having a central opening for projection 40a whereby each shield 43 is press fitted to the associated bearing block 40. The peripheral flange 43a of each shield then overlies the end of support 32a, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 10 of the drawings. This arrangement prevents foreign matter from getting into the bearings.

For the purpose of supporting the bearing blocks 40 within the nozzle chamber 16, there are provided integral projections 1212, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 10 of the drawings, one at each end of the nozzle chamber 16. The lower ends of the projections 12b are each provided with a bearing block receiving recess 44. Preferably, a spring bearing block retainer is disposed in each of these recesses, which retainer has a resilient arm tending to bias the bearing block against the opposite wall of the recess. In an embodiment built in accordance with the present invention, the retainer 45 included means for retaining it in recess 44- once it is inserted therein. This means comprised sharp projections on the end of the arm of retainer 45 seated deepest Within the recess 44.

It will be appreciated that, with use, the bristles 33 of the brush 32 will tend to wear, and in accordance with the present invention the bearing blocks 40 are not symmetrcal with respect to the bearing defining recesses 41 therein. Instead, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and of the drawings, the rcesses 41 are effectively 01f center. It will be apparent that when the bearing blocks are in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 10 of the drawings, the brush 32 is in its most retracted position relative to the bottom opening in the nozzle portion 12, whereas if the blocks were reversed, in effect so as to be rotated through 180, the axis of rotation of the brush would be in a lower position as viewed in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Thus, upon sufiicient wear of the bristles, the bearing blocks may merely be removed, rotated through 180 and reinserted, with the result that the changed brush position will automatically adjust for bristle wear. Preferably, the ends of the bearing blocks 40 are provided with the word Worn on one end thereof and the word New at the other end thereof. These blocks will be initially inserted so that the word New is visible from the bottom, and after predetermined wear are rotated through 180 and reinserted so that the word Worn will be exposed when viewed from the bottom. With this arrangement it wll be apparent that provision for wear of the brush has been made in a very simple manner. In FIGS. 2 and 10 of the drawings the bearing blocks 40 are shown in what would be termed the New position.

To maintain the bearing blocks 40 in the position shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings and at the same time to provide a smooth rug or other surface engaging portion surrounding the opening to the nozzle chamber 16, there is provided a bottom plate 47 which has a plurality of spaced hook-shaped portions 47a for engaging projections 12c defined on the nozzle portion 12 thereby interlocking one edge of the bottom plate 47 to the nozzle portion 12. The other edge is then held to the nozzle portion by suitable fastening means 48. Preferably, the

edges of the bottom plate 47 are turned up so as to pro vide a smooth rug engaging surface which will not hook on any fibers or the like. The bottom plate 47 preferably includes a narrow central strip 47b which overlies the toothed pulley 34 whereby it will serve as a pulley guard. By virtue of this center strip 47b the bottom plate effectively comprises two spaced openings designated as 50, one of which is partially shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. The edges of these openings are also defined by turned up portions such as 470 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 10) of the bottom plate 47 thereby defining a smooth rug engaging surface.

As mentioned above, the bottom plate also aids in retaining the bearing blocks in the position shown in the drawings. To this end there are secured to the bottom plate 47 bearing block retainers 51, best shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 10 of the drawings. The bearing block retainers 51 are preferably of U-shaped configuration, with the ends of the legs of the U riveted or otherwise secured as indicated at 52 to the bottom plate 47. A springlike projection 51a, projecting from the bight of each of the tel-shaped supports 51, engages the associated bearing block 40 and maintains it in position.

In order that a rug cleaning attachment may be used satisfactorily with different types of rugs, it is generally desirable to provide an adjustment for the nozzle effectively raising or lowering the same. To this end a novel arrangement of the support means for shaft 25 for the rear wheels 22 is provided. As best shown in FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7 of the drawings, the narrow depending portion 13a of base 11 is provided with a downwardly opening recess 53. The lower edges of opposite walls defining this recess 53- are each provided with spaced downwardly opening notches 55 and 56. As illustrated, the rear notches 56 are somewhat deeper than the front notches 55 (FIGS. 5 and 6). The shaft 25 is adapted to be disposed either in the notches 55 or the notches 56. When the shaft 25 is in the front recesses 55, as best illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the rear of the base 11 is raised with reference to the axis of front wheels 21 and the nozzle portion 12 disposed forwardly of this axis is lowered. When the shaft is disposed in the deeper rear notches 56, the rear of the base is lowered which means nozzle portion 12 is raised.

For the purpose of selectively holding the shaft 25 in one or the other of the pairs of recesses 55 or 56, there is provided a leaf spring 58 which is secured as by fastening means 59" within the recess 53. This leaf spring 58 overlies the recesses 55 and 56, and is provided in this area where it overlies the shaft 25 with side flanges 58a and an end flange 58b (FIGS. 3 and 7). In accordance with the present invention, the side flanges are adapted to be received within annular notches 61 and 62 defined in the shaft 25. Thus, the :annular notches receiving the flanges 58a guide the shaft in its movement from one recess to the other when selectively adjusting the height. Preferably, the bottom of the leaf spring 53 may be provided with suitable indicia such as Normal or High, the indicia Normal being disposed adjacent the front shallower recesses 55 and the indicia High being disposed adjacent the rear deeper recesses 56, thus indicating that when the shaft 25 is in the recesses 56 the forward end of the nozzle is raised somewhat by virtue of pivotal motion about the axis of front wheels 21, whereas when the shaft 25 is in the recesses 55 the nozzle is lowered. With this arrangement the attachment 10 can be used satisfactorily for deep pile or short pile rugs, as the case may be.

In order to complete the nozzle chamber 16 and the brush drive chamber 14, there is provided a nozzle plate 65 which conforms in shape to the open top of portion 13 of base 11. This plate 65 is adapted to be secured to the base 11 by suitable fastening means 66 disposed at the front thereof and suitable rear fastening means 67 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 6). The nozzle plate has an arcuate depending portion 65a which interfits with the wall 19, as best shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, to complete the nozzle chamber. Preferably, it includes a depending projection 65b receivable within the notch or opening 19. The remainder of plate 65 defines a top closure plate for the brush drive chamber 14 and the bottom of an air turbine chamber described hereinafter. The rear portion of the nozzle plate 65 is provided with an integral depending chamber defining portion 650 defining therein a suction recess chamber 70 and a semicylindrical swivel chamber 71. An opening 72 interconnects chambers 70 and 71 and an opening 73 in plate 65 interconnects chamber 70 with the turbine chamber above plate 65. A swivel tube 75 is provided terminating in a cylindrical swivel portion 75a partially receivable within the semicylindrical swivel chamber 71. As best shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings, suitable pins 76 hold the swivel tube 75 in position. The cylindrical portion 75a of the swivel tube 75 is provided with an opening 77 cooperating with the opening 72. With the swivel tube 75 in the position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the openings 72 and 77 are in alignment. Th wivel tube 75 may be moved to the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein the opening 77 is shown as not being in alignment with opening 72 and actually providing a bypass which would reduce the suction in the nozzle chamber 16 to such an extent as to terminate the operation of brush 32.

To provide a satisfactory seal between the cylindrical swivel portion 75a of swivel tube 75 and the semicylindrical recess 71, a suitable swivel pad 80 may be provided, preferably formed of a foam rubber or the like, secured to the nozzle plate 65. Preferably, the surface of the swivel pad engaging the movable cylindrical swivel portion 75a is covered with a layer of a smooth plastic whereby a satisfactory seal between movable parts insuring a minimum loss of suction is provided.

In accordance with the present invention, the nozzle plate 65 has integrally formed therewith a cylindrical bearing support 65d which projects both above and below the nozzle plate 65. For increased rigidity, a plurality.

of integral ribs such as 65e, 65 and 65g (FIGS. 3 and 4) depending from the plate 65 insure a fixed relationship between the tubular bearing support 65d and the plate 65 integrally formed therewith. As illustrated, the rib 656 extends between the cylindrical bearing support 65a and one wall of the depending chamber defining portion 650, while the ribs 65] and 65g extend between the bearing retainer 65d and the arcuate wall 65a.

Mounted within the bearing support 65d are an upper bearing 81 suitably retained in position by a bearing retainer 82 and fastening means 83, and a lower bearing 85 suitably secured within the lower end of bearing support 65d. Journalled within the bearings 81 and 85 is an air turbine shaft 87 which has an upper portion 87a extending out of the upper end of the bearing support 65d and a lower portion 87b extending beyond the lower end of bearing support 65a. A suitable toothed pulley 88 is secured to the portion 87b and is drivingly connected by a belt 90 with the toothed pulley 34 on the brush 32. This belt 90 extends through the notch 19 defined in the areuate Wall 18. Since the axis of toothed pulley 88 is generally vertically disposed, and the axis of the pulley 34 is generally horizontally disposed, the belt 90 is illustrated as having essentially a 90 twist therein as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

Secured to the upper end 87a of the air turbine shaft 87 is an air turbine generally designated at 92. This air turbine may be secured to the shaft 87 in any suitable manner. As illustrated, the upper end 87a of the shaft 87 is provided with a flat surface 93 which cooperates with a corresponding surface defined in the shaft receiving opening of the air tubine 92. Suitable fastening means 94 prevent the air turbine from being lifted off from the shaft 87. The air turbine 92 is disposed within a turbine chamber 95 defined by the nozzle plate 65 and a cover member 96 preferably formed of a molded plastic secured to the nozzle plate by suitable fastening means '97 (FIGS. 4 and For sealing the chamber 95 against 'air leaks, a suitable sealing gasket 98 is preferably interposed between the nozzle plate 65 and the cover 96. If desired, the front of the cover 96 may be provided with a recess supporting a suitable escutcheon plate 99 upon which any suitable indicia may be provided. It will be apparent that the air turbine 92 will be driven by the air flow between nozzle chamber 16 and recess 70 so that, in effect, the opening 73 is the exhaust opening from the turbine chamber 95.

In accordance with the present invention, the nozzle plate 65 is provided with an air inlet opening 109 which interconnects the nozzle chamber 16 and the turbine chamber 95. This opening 109 is the terminus of an angularly disposed tubular portion 65h integrally formed with the nozzle plate 65 and disposed so as to direct the air flowing through the opening 100 in a tangential direction thereby to strike turbine blades 92a defined around the periphery of the air turbine 92. When the swivel 75 is connected to a source of suction such as the vacuum cleaner disclosed and claimed in copending Jepson and Wied application Serial No. 39,865, filed June 30, 1960, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application, then air will flow from the nozzle chamber 16 through the opening 100 and out of the opening 73, with the result that the air turbine 92 is driven at high speed, which in turn causes the brush 32 to rotate. As illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the swivel 75 is provided with an opening 102 to receive suitable locking means disclosed in the copending J'epson and Wied application referred to above.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the construction of the air turbine 92 whereby solid objects such as coins or the like moving at high speed adjacent air turbine 92 will neither damage nor jam the operation thereof. To this end, the air turbine 92 is molded as one piece from nylon, which is a sufiiciently tough material to withstand coins impacting the blades at high velocity. To prevent jamming of the turbine by such coins, a substantial clearance is provided below and around the periphery of the turbine, as clearly shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Moreover, the discharge opening '73 from the turbine chamber 95 is so located that coins and other solid objects will pass therethrough after completing less than one half revolution in the turbine chamber.

Specifically, the one-piece molded nylon air turbine 92 comprises a central disk portion 92b from which the plurality of curved blades 92a project. As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the blades 92a which are disposed in the plane of disk portion 92b are of curved configuration so that the air entering the turbine chamber through opening 100 engages the concave surface of the blades. An important feature of the present invention is the fact that each of the blades at the edges thereof is provided with an upper fiat surface 103 and a lower flat surface 104 (FIG. 9). Molding an air turbine 92 out of nylon in a one-piece construction is not a simple operation, and prior to the present invention the turbine blades for such air turbines were molded separately and then cemented in place. However, such multi-piece construction is very expensive from an assembly standpoint and would, therefore, be prohibitive from a cost standpoint.

In molding intricate nylon parts in which removable cores and the like are required, a problem arises from the fact that nylon in its liquid state is extremely difiicult to confine in a mold. It tends to leak through any of the joints in the mold, with the result that a very tough and undesirable flash is produced along the junction of the mating parts of the mold. In making the air turbine 92, it is necessary to provide a mold having removable sliding cores or inserts positioned between each one of the turbine blades 92a. These inserts are each separate weblike members with the contour of the two adjacent blade members and which are withdrawn radially in the plane of the turbine after the nylon has hardened. There are, of course, two plate members which define the top and bottom horizontal portions of the air turbine mold cavity. The radially removable cores are slidably positioned between these two plates. By providing the flats 163 and 194 on the turbine blades 92a, it is possible to mold the air turbine 92 as a one-piece nylon device. If the concave and convex portions of each blade 92a had intersected along a line, the removable inserts for the mold would have had to fit together to define a very sharp angle, and it would have been impossible to mold such an air turbine without a large amount of flash at the edge of each blade. The cost of removing this flash would have made such a one-piece air turbine impractical. By providing the flats 103 and 104, however, this is completely eliminated and the removable inserts can be flat ground at the edges to insure that the liquid nylon is precluded from passing through the junctions of the mold parts.

In view of the detailed description included above, the

' operation of the cleaning attachment 10 of the present invention will readily be understood by those skilled in the art. When a source of suction is connected to the swivel 75, and the openings 72 and 77 are in alignment, the flow of air through the turbine chamber will cause high speed rotation of the air turbine 92, which in turn, by virtue of the pulleys 34 and 88 and the belt 90, will drive rotatable brush 32. If for some reason the user of the cleaning attachment 10 wishes to stop the action of the brush 32 without terminating the suction at swivel 75, it is merely necessary to pivot the swivel from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 6 thereby opening a by-pass, with the result that the air fiow through the turbine chamber 95 is reduced sufficiently to terminate the operation of the rotary brush 32. The nozzle portion 12 may furthermore be adjusted to different heights in a simple manner, and brush wear can be corrected by merely reversing the bearing blocks 40.

While there has been shown and described a particular embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and it is, therefore, contemplated in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: V

1. An air operated cleaning attachment for use with a vacuum cleaner comprising a housing unit defining a nozzle chamber and a turbine chamber, a rotatable brush mounted in the nozzle chamber, an air operable turbine wheel mounted in the turbine chamber with a substantial clearance around the entire periphery of the turbine wheel, said housing having an air opening interconnecting said chambers and terminating beneath said turbine wheel near the periphery thereof and having a suction opening communicating with said turbine chamber beneath said turbine wheel and near the periphery thereof, and means drivingly interconnecting said turbine Wheel and said brush.

2. An air operated cleaning attachment as set forth in claim 1 above wherein said openings are spaced apart in said turbine chamber less than one-half the angular distance of a revolution of the turbine wheel.

3. An air operated cleaning attachment as set forth in claim 1 above wherein said turbine wheel is of one-piece nylon construction.

4. An air operated cleaning attachment adapted for connection to a vacuum cleaner comprising a housing unit defining a nozzle chamber and a turbine chamber, a rotatable brush mounted in the nozzle chamber, an air operable turbine wheel mounted in the turbine chamber, said housing having an air opening interconnecting said chambers and terminating near the periphery of said turbine wheel, means defining a suction opening communicating with said turbine chamber near the periphery of said turbine wheel, means drivingly interconnecting said turbine Wheel and said brush, and means communicating with said suction opening for varying the suction applied thereto to terminate the operation of said brush even though the cleaner connected to said attachment continues to produce a suction, said last-mentioned means including a swivel type connection to said housing unit adapted for connection to said vacuum cleaner.

5. An air operated cleaning attachment for use with a vacuum cleaner comprising a housing unit defining a nozzle chamber and a turbine chamber, a rotatable brush mounted in said nozzle chamber, an air operable turbine wheel mounted in said turbine chamber, means drivingly interconnecting said turbine wheel and said brush, said housing having an air opening interconnecting said chambers and terminating in said turbine chamber near the periphery of said turbine wheel, a suction control chamber beneath said turbine chamber communicating with said turbine chamber near the periphery of said turbine wheel,

a semicylindrical swivel chamber having an opening communicating with said suction control chamber, and a swivel tube terminating in a cylindrical swivel portion at least partially receivable within said swivel chamber and provided with an opening aligned with said last-mentioned opening when said swivel tube is in a first position and providing a bypass around said last-mentioned opening when said swivel tube is in a second position.

6. A cleaning attachment for use with a vacuum cleaner comprising a housing unit defining a nozzle chamber, means on said housing unit defining a depending portion provided with a pair of spaced downwardly opening notch means of different depths, a shaft adapted to be selectively disposed in either of said notch means, means secured to said housing unit for holding said shaft in said selected one of said notch means, a pair of wheels mounted on said shaft for supporting said housing unit on a surface to be cleaned, and additional supporting means for said housing unit disposed intermediate said pair of said wheels and said nozzle chamber, whereby the height of said nozzle chamber relative to the surface to be cleaned may be varied in dependence upon the particular notch means in which said shaft is disposed.

- 7. A cleaning attachment as set forth in claim 6 above wherein said means for holding said shaft in a selected one of said notch means comprises a leaf spring adapted to resiliently bias said shaft into the selected one of said notch means.

8. An air operated cleaning attachment for use with a vacuum cleaner comprising a housing unit defining a nozzle chamber and a turbine chamber, said housing unit including a narrow depending portion defined by a pair of spaced side walls, each side wall being provided at its bottom edge with a downwardly opening first notch and a downwardly opening second notch deeper than said first notch and spaced from said first notch, the first notches in each side wall being aligned and the second notches in each side wall being aligned, a shaft adapted to be disposed in a selected pair of said aligned notches, means secured to said housing unit for holding said shaft in said selected pair of aligned notches, a rotatable brush mounted in the nozzle chamber, a turbine wheel rotatably mounted in said turbine chamber, means drivingly interconnecting said brush and said turbine wheel, a first pair of rotatable Wheels mounted on said shaft, and a second pair of wheels rotatably mounted to said housing intermediate said first pair of said wheels and said brush whereby the height of said nozzle chamber relative to the surface to be cleaned may be varied in dependence upon the particular pair of aligned notches in which said shaft is disposed.

'9. The air operated cleaning attachment of claim 1 wherein said turbine wheel is of one-piece construction including a disk portion and a plurality of radial blades projecting from the periphery of said disk portion, each of said blades having a concave surface and a convex surface and provided with upper and lower flat surfaces interconnecting said concave and convex surfaces.

10. An air operated cleaning attachment as set forth in claim 9 above wherein said turbine wheel is a nylon wheel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,146,268 Powell Feb. 7, 1939 2,509,964 Cross May 30, 1950 2,683,276 Olsen July 13, 1954 2,744,272 Theis et al. May 8, 1956 2,764,099 Wernert Sept. 25, 1956 2,904,817 Brennan Sept. 22, 1959 2,930,069 Kowalewski Mar. 29, 1960 2,938,225 Carabet May 31, 1960 2,946,080 Burch July 26, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 561,353 Great Britain May 16, 1944 

1. AN AIR OPERATED CLEANING ATTACHMENT FOR USE WITH A VACUUM CLEANER COMPRISING A HOUSING UNIT DEFINING A NOZZLE CHAMBER AND A TURBINE CHAMBER, A ROTATABLE BRUSH MOUNTED IN THE NOZZLE CHAMBER, AN AIR OPERABLE TURBINE WHEEL MOUNTED IN THE TURBINE CHAMBER WITH A SUBSTANTIAL CLEARANCE AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIPHERY OF THE TURBINE WHEEL, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN AIR OPENING INTERCONNECTING SAID CHAMBERS AND TERMINATING BENEATH SAID TURBINE WHEEL NEAR THE PERIPHERY THEREOF AND HAVING A SUCTION OPENING COMMUNICATING WITH SAID TURBINE CHAMBER BENEATH SAID TURBINE WHEEL AND NEAR THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, AND MEANS DRIVINGLY INTERCONNECTING SAID TURBINE WHEEL AND SAID BRUSH. 